Third Guy's a Charm
by VeRiDa
Summary: Due to financial problems, Itachi and Sasuke can't afford to live together on their own, and a 3rd roommate needed to be recruited asap! But not just anyone would do, they needed someone dimwitted. Someone who wouldn't notice what was brewing between the brothers. Someone who even Sasuke could potentially tolerate. Introducing Naruto Uzumaki! ItaSasuNaru, yaoi, collab, Uchihacest


Here the first story posted on Vera and Dana's joined account! And what better way to start it then as a threeway collab together with our friend xLoveless19! So naturally this turns into a threesome between Itachi, Sasuke and Naruto. This story will then also contain explicit sex between these three, but not yet!

Vera/Night-Being: Itachi

Dana-Eliza: Sasuke

xLoveless19: Naruto

Please enjoy and let us know if it flows well like this!

* * *

With a heavy sigh Sasuke leaned against the backrest of the couch, casting his eyes up to heaven to sound a silent prayer. This really had been an awful day, and Sasuke couldn't wait till this was all over. How many people had they met already? Six? Seven? Twenty? Why were people so awful? There was just no way Sasuke would share this apartment with any of those crazy losers. If it was up to him, Sasuke wouldn't even get a new roommate. Just living here with his brother was enough. Much more privacy and no nosy people trying to figure out what was happening between the two brothers. Itachi was his, and this apartment was perfect the way it was. But they needed to split the rent, because their parents had cut them off. Itachi had explained it all, and Sasuke had learned that listening to his brother was smarter than trying to argue his way out of it. Itachi was often right anyway.

Glancing to the side Sasuke let his eyes slide over his brother's form, trying to read the emotionless expression. Was Itachi as exhausted as he was? Or did he actually see any potential in the visitors they had so far. The most important part was that they needed someone dense enough to not notice what was exactly going on between them. Sasuke would miss the casual kisses the most. Everything would need to be shared in private now. But perhaps Sasuke could force Itachi to give up and let it be just them. There was only one potential roommate coming, so all he had to do was make Itachi see this person was as awful as the rest. "I don't want a roommate," Sasuke voiced for the millionth time that day, pushing himself away from the couch. The front door received an angry glare, before Sasuke walked back towards the kitchen, intending to brew some tea.

Itachi watched Sasuke leave the living room, worry settling in his eyes. The eleventh candidate had just left and the heavy flower perfume the girl used, still lingered in the air. Itachi didn't like her, or maybe he didn't like the way she had been ogling Sasuke. Not like his little brother even noticed, because he was more focused on glaring out of the window than paying attention to his surroundings. But her interest would bring only trouble. Their unusual relationship would be jeopardized if she would become too nosy. Itachi didn't enjoy the picking any more than Sasuke did, but at least one of them needed to be the patient and polite one. The weird pink haired girl had been showed out with a soft smile. Hopefully to never be seen again.

However a new roommate was needed, even more than Sasuke could imagine. Although Itachi did explain they were low on money, his little brother had no idea how bad the situation actually was. Itachi didn't want to trouble Sasuke with that. All he needed was a person who could stand to live with the two brothers and overlook the occasional displays of affection not compatible with family ties. They would need to move most of the intimate touches into the privacy of their bedroom, but one couldn't hope to hide everything. The shared bedroom was one of those things.

Itachi glanced at the main door as well. The last candidate should be there soon. "I know you don't want a roommate, Sasuke. But please do me a favour and give this one a chance. He should be the last on the list and if you won't like him..." he paused and sighed, "then we'll find another way." Itachi finished his sentence with a new burden settling on his shoulders. He would have to convince Sasuke that this last person is the right one no matter what.

...

Here it was, apartment 38. Hopefully everything went well and these...what were their names again? The Uchihas, yes, hopefully they took him in as the third roommate. Because Naruto needed a place badly, like ASAP. His last roommate didn't go over too well, and in the end he was screwed over greatly. Never paying rent on time, being a slob...okay he was a slob himself, but his previous roommate didn't have a system to his disorganization. If you're gonna be a slob, you gotta do it right! But yes, he really needed this to go well for him, or else he'd practically be homeless since his last landlord evicted him and his other roommate. Which was so unfair...he always paid his half of the rent on time, he could have just tried to find another roommate to fill in till the lease was up, but apparently the landlord was fed up with them both and decided he'd had enough.

So here he was. Naruto fidgeted a little bit nervously as he knocked and waited for someone to answer the door, while quietly, to his ears he was doing it quietly, humming the chocolatte song to himself. In the back of his mind he wondered why there was such a strong stench of flowery perfume. It actually was making his eyes water a little bit. When the door opened, Naruto smiled brightly at who he assumed was the older brother. "Hey! My name's Naruto and you must be-" Naruto snapped his fingers a couple times as he tried to recall the name on the ad, "Itachi right?" He hoped he was right because he couldn't remember the other brother's name.

A firm knock announced the arrival of the last candidate. Itachi stood up from the comfortable couch and with long strides marched towards the main door, pulled the handle and opened. He came face to face with a young boy and the most flashing smile he had even seen. It appeared to radiate happiness all around him and the pointy blond hair only added to the warm glow. Itachi's lips tugged up softly in response. "Yes, that is correct," he confirmed Naruto's question, then stepped aside. "Welcome, Naruto, and come in." A hand moved through the air, gently pointing inside the apartment. Itachi watched the shorter male confidently cross the threshold and then the door was closed again. "Please, leave the shoes by the door and have a seat."a

Itachi let the newcomer to take off the shoes in private and proceeded to walk back towards the couch he had previously been sitting on. "Sasuke, when you're ready with the tea, come join us," he called in the direction of their kitchen where his brother was still busying himself with cups and bags; possibly hiding. Itachi stopped by the sofa and two armchairs; waiting for their guest to join him.

Despite the unreadable expression, Naruto already liked this guy. He was pleasant enough and Naruto followed his instructions to leave his shoes by the door and took a seat across from him. Aha! So Sasuke is the other brother's name. Glad it was said so he wouldn't have to play the wait game for one of them to mention it. Feeling a bit relaxed and quite happy, Naruto unconsciously started to hum again while waiting for Sasuke to appear and looked around the place. The living room was very nice and quite spacious, and on the farther end he could see a couple laptops sitting next to each other on a desk. For now that's most of what he could see. The rest of the apartment he hoped he'd get a tour of.

Of course Sasuke had heard the front door open from his position, but so far had been able to stretch his time in the kitchen. Ignoring Itachi for a little while longer gave Sasuke some more alone time as well, but he couldn't leave his brother waiting in the living room on him. What if Itachi actually let this guy in, and then they had a roommate?! Sasuke needed to prevent that. Putting the kettle onto a tray with three glasses, Sasuke got ready to meet this new fellow, intending to chase him right out the door. With a kick Sasuke forced the kitchen door open, and he gladly imagined this being the new guest. How easy would that be if Sasuke could simply kick them all out? Itachi was sitting on the couch already, having this blank look on his face that didn't really say much. Why could his brother not wear a little more expression today? This way Sasuke at least knew what was about to come. The other had his back turned towards Sasuke, so he couldn't really see his expression, but the happy humming got old really fast.

Making his way to the coffee table, Sasuke dumped the tray on it and then stood back up straight, shooting an instant glare at the visitor. Everything about this guy was just too bright. The porn blond hair, the piercing blue eyes, and then that hideous orange shirt no one should be allowed to wear in public. And this was supposed to be their new roommate? As his thoughts progressed this way, Sasuke forgot to welcome the guy into their home. Though it might be done on purpose.

A bang startled Naruto, having him snap his eyes towards what he thought was the kitchen door being kicked open and out walked a considerably pissed off looking Uchiha. The man stomped over to them, practically slammed the tray onto the dining table, and glared at him. Immediately Naruto bristled and glared straight back. What the hell was this guy's problem?! He hadn't even said hello, or introduced himself! Despite the two brothers looking incredibly similar, and quite attractive, Sasuke was immediately labelled the bastard. He hoped to God that Itachi wasn't like this too.

"Excuse me, you got a problem or something?"

For a moment longer Sasuke just kept glaring at the newcomer, hoping he would just disappear in thin air. That tone as well... Why would someone new even use that tone. Didn't the guy want to come live here? This really wasn't working out and surely Itachi would see that as well. Without a reply to that question, Sasuke moved over to the couch where Itachi was sitting on as well and flopped down next to him, inching possibly a little too close, but Sasuke definitely needed his brother's support right now. Without Itachi here, Sasuke would've been kicking someone out physically a long time ago already. Grabbing the form he and Itachi had set up from the table, Sasuke turned his eyes on that, trying to show the least bit of interest as possible. Holding the paper up for Itachi, Sasuke pointed out that he definitely needed to ask about why the guy was looking for a place. If that reason was disturbing enough, they could show him the door already. "You'll do the talking and I'll make notes," Sasuke muttered to his brother.

Itachi watched Sasuke carefully, worrying for a while that his moody little brother might lash out at the loud blond, but it seemed Sasuke was too tired to reciprocate with any kind of comment. Itachi gave his sibling a tender smile, the one that was always meant solely for Sasuke. He hoped this would be enough of a support for now. Then he spoke up. "I'm sorry for all that," Itachi apologized, still looking at Sasuke to make sure his brother would know that the words were meant for him as well as for their guest. "We had a long day." He turned to Naruto then, the smile from his lips gone, but his tone remained polite and measured.

The form received a short glance before Itachi settled more comfortably in his spot. Leaning to the side of the armrest he moved slightly away from Sasuke. Then his leg shifted, the place right above his ankle was supported on Itachi's own knee and his thigh was softly placed on Sasuke's. The gesture was casual, hardly visible, but Itachi wanted to feel the connection at least somewhere. Their guest shouldn't be able to notice anything suspicious. "So... Naruto," Itachi said to make sure he had all the blond's attention. "You're looking for a new place to live. Tell us what happened to the last one?"

Naruto shrugged, accepting the apology and moving on. It was one of his good perks his guardian once told him he had. He was quite forgiving, especially if he received an apology to boot. "S'ok, I understand." Even if Sasuke was still kind of an asshole and kept giving off that asshole-ish vibe, Naruto decided to let it go. Perhaps the bastard was just really done with all the people he had to put up with today. Finding a roommate was stressful, he'd been there, done that.

At the question, Naruto resisted the urge to sigh and struggled to not let the actual weight of his situation appear on his face. He really wasn't in a good position right now. "Well, my previous roommate wasn't good at all...but there's a reason I even had a suckish roommate to begin with. Last year I was sharing an apartment with one of my best friends and we lived together for about eight months total. However, even though it was great for him, he found a really nice job, but it was almost 3 hours away from where we were living. So he moved out, and I stayed. He moved out before the lease was up so I had to quickly find a roommate myself and accepted the first person who answered my ad. Long sob story short, he was terrible. Barely paid his half of the rent, sometimes not at all, causing me to cover his half and even missing my payments as well. There were a couple incidents where I'd come home to the apartment trashed, and I got partially blamed for it by the landlord. And we both ended up getting evicted. So here I am."

As much as he was happy for Kiba, he missed the dog lover terribly and wished he could have stayed with him. Going through that nightmare was stressful enough, let alone trying to find a new place as soon as possible. And if he did manage to get picked to room here, Naruto hoped he wouldn't have any problems. The last thing he needed was a repeat of before. Though, a part of him thought that living with the Uchihas' wouldn't be so bad. They were both attractive...who wouldn't want to room with them? But...that was beside the point really.

Listening to the sob story as Naruto called it, Sasuke felt his eyebrows raise higher and higher, disappearing under his messy bangs. That was something else and something Sasuke didn't want to go through. This was why they were prepared, though this was probably something one could not prepare for. Hopefully it wasn't Naruto who had actually caused all these things. If this apartment would end up in ruins, it wouldn't just be the landlord Naruto would have a problem with. "Well, we won't be trashing apartments here and we do pay our rent in time," Sasuke stated, his tone even and slightly uncaring. Scooting forward Sasuke reached for the tea, his hand on Itachi's thigh for a moment to push himself off with. At least it seemed that way, but it was just to touch Itachi for a moment. A small thank you for being such a good brother... and lover.

Three glasses were filled with hot water, Sasuke never asking if Naruto wanted tea or not. Sasuke dunked two bags in Itachi's and his cup, but scooted the box filled with different flavours of tea towards Naruto, at least giving him the option to pick a flavour. His hands then instantly moved towards the stack of magazines on the table, finding them lying wrong on the wooden surface. Restacking them Sasuke made sure it was now perfect. It needed to be perfect. Naruto's story was pushed to the side again, Sasuke's thoughts now focused on messes that shouldn't be there.

Itachi granted Sasuke a brief look, then let his brows itch closer. It seemed Naruto was in a peculiar situation, being evicted from his previous apartment was never a pleasant experience. He hoped Sasuke could try to relate to that a little more. Even though they had no idea if Naruto was currently living out in the streets or maybe some motel. Itachi wouldn't ask about this. It only appeared to bring down the mood. He observed how Sasuke prepared them tea and then chronically started cleaning some mess that even wasn't there. Another of many signs giving out Sasuke's unease. Itachi grew worried once again and shortly placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, hoping to calm him down a little. His palm was gone before it would give any suspicious vibe, also serving as a silent 'thank you' for the cup of tea.

"It is true that we do pay our rent in time," Itachi agreed with his brother. "We also keep the apartment clean and the same would be required of you." He gave Naruto a firm look, it wasn't harsh at any case, but it clearly showed that Naruto would be expected to participate in the many processes of brushing, scraping and mopping. "Now... there are few more questions we would like to ask you. One of them is about your job. Do you have a stable job, Naruto?" Itachi cocked his head to the side, an insignificant gesture followed by a soft smile trying to put their guest at ease.

"I never had a problem paying my rent on time till I got that bad roommate. And I'm fairly clean. I will admit I leave stuff out like clothes and stuff, but I keep after myself." The way Sasuke was tidying up a little bit didn't go unnoticed by Naruto. He could spot a clean freak, aka, OCD fanatic when he saw one. And, as nice as it was for him to push the tea over to him, Naruto didn't make a move to make himself a cup. He didn't like tea...he liked coffee. He could really go for some coffee right now, but didn't feel in any position to ask for some.

The comment about leaving stuff around made Sasuke shoot a glare at Naruto. The guy better keep his junk in his bedroom or he would be out of here in no time. This place was spic and span, always, and it was going to stay that way. It needed to be clean here. But the conversation quickly switched over to Naruto's job, so the moment passed where Sasuke could actually comment. It wouldn't be smart to say anything anyway, even if Sasuke really didn't want this roommate.

At Itachi's question Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I'm currently working as a bartender at Konoha Pub. My pay is slightly above minimum wage, but the bulk of my salary really comes from the tips that I make. I've been working there for nearly two years now." He grinned slyly at the brothers, "I don't think I've ever seen either of you two there, but I'd be happy to make you one of my own personal mixers if you're ever interested." If there was one thing Naruto had an obscene amount of pride in, it was his mixers and working as a bartender. He never thought a job like that would suit him, but being the social butterfly that he was, worked tremendously in his favour for raking in the tips. Along the way he experimented on drinks and had made a ton of different blends that he was very proud of.

After sharing where he worked, he wondered what the two brothers did for a living, and was about to outright ask until he reminded himself that this was an interview, and he wasn't exactly in the position to be asking the questions...Not until maybe after they picked him as a roommate. Still though, his curiosity shot up and he had to try and control his tongue from rudely asking. _Impressions, Naruto, think about the impression you're trying to give. You want them to like you enough to pick you ya know..._

Seeing the enthusiastic smile on Naruto's face, caught Sasuke off guard. It was so bright and happy, and somewhere Sasuke felt a twinge of jealousy. Letting the talk of bars distract him, Sasuke glanced over at Itachi, imagining them together in one of those dark places, drinking far too much while sneaking touches they shouldn't in public. Pulling his gaze away Sasuke focused on Naruto again, muttering "We don't really go out to such places together." And it wasn't because they didn't want to, but together seemed too dangerous. Not that they were extremely touchy feely or anything, but what if they slipped up and someone noticed? It was Sasuke who had the boundaries high up, who prevented them from going out and enjoy their time together. "We prefer to stay in. Itachi works a lot anyway, so it's not like we have much time."

Despite the fact that Sasuke wanted for his older brother to do the talking at first, he suddenly seemed to be in rather communicative mood. If it was because Naruto was making him seriously uneasy, or because he might actually be staring to feel comfortable around the happy blond, stayed hidden to all of them. But Itachi wouldn't try to decipher Sasuke's remarks for now. He suspected what they might mean, and at this point Itachi had no idea how he possibly could calm down his little sibling.

Itachi let all the thoughts about reconsidering Naruto's offer slip by. It wasn't a good situation to suggest that he might wish for more free time. All Itachi wanted was to spend the newly gained moments with Sasuke and if his brother didn't feel the desire to go out, then he would stay with him inside the apartment. As always. The positive thing on Naruto's job, which Sasuke might have overlooked, was that their loud roommate would probably be working during the evenings and weekends, which was exactly the time that the brothers usually used for some quality family bonding.

"Really? That's a shame. Oh well I guess, but if you guys ever want me to make you a drink right here I'm sure I could whip something up, or just bring some home from work too. In any case, you'd be getting it for free." Maybe Naruto was bribing just a tiny bit with free booze, but he actually did mean it, and most definitely would bring some home for free regardless. He did it for some other friends too, and at the very start, his previous roommate. That is, until he found out what a jerk he was, then he stopped the hand-outs. Sasuke-bastard looked like he needed some loosening up. He looked and appeared so uptight it actually unnerved him a bit. Naruto could tell living under the same roof as him would cause problems, from what he's seen so far, anything, even the tiniest thing, might set this Uchiha off. He only hoped Itachi would calm him down or whatever necessary.

Turning his full attention towards their guest, Itachi spoke up. "And besides making drinks, do you have any other hobbies you would like to share with us? Or maybe a habit we might want to know before it would be too late?" he suggested stealthily. Naruto was their last chance, but seeing the merry blond, Itachi wasn't that concerned about waiting until the end. Despite the few flaws, this joyful boy might bring some light into Sasuke's gloomy face. Yes, Naruto might as well be a good influence.

At the question, Naruto's gaze rolled up towards the ceiling in thought and bit his lip. "Um, I don't think I have any annoying habits or anything. I do like to hum a lot if it's too quiet to me..." As for hobbies he wasn't too sure on that on. "Not sure on hobbies either really. I do like to read occasionally." He decided not to mention that when he was a teenager in high school he enjoyed getting tattoos and actually had a job as an assistant for a while. That was in the past so it didn't really matter now. Plus, it wasn't like that was a bad hobby or anything, it just seemed to have an inappropriate stigma attached to it.

Humming... And for some reason Sasuke assumed instantly those hums would be off tune. At least it wasn't singing. Sasuke would give the guy that, but was this really a nice fit for them? There was just something so unruly about Naruto. Far more energetic than either of the brothers were. It would be chaotic in here, and Sasuke could definitely not handle chaos. They better set some rules for this guy if he even got to live here. No partying. The guy would not bring his drinking buddies and get drunk here. Sasuke was not cleaning up puke from some other guy, because he didn't make the toilet. What if it was even worse than drinking buddies? What if Naruto dated some dumb bimbo and they would be fucking all over the place, uncaring where they left their... things. A shiver ran down Sasuke's spine as that thought settled in.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Sasuke then pitched in, needing the answer to this question right away. It was asked innocently, his tone even. He kept his gaze locked on Naruto, blindly reaching for his tea and bringing it to his lips. It was still somewhat hot in his mouth, but Sasuke ignored the burn, taking another careful sip.

Itachi shoot a displeased gaze towards Sasuke. He would have face-palmed, if he was that type of person. But the silent warning in his eyes should be enough for now. Had his little brother really no manners at all? Did Itachi failed to teach him how to behave properly? He was very disappointed by Sasuke's blunt question and that was shown in the dark orbs as well. "I think we should leave the decision about sharing this kind of personal information on Naruto himself. Don't you agree, Sasuke?" Itachi's query was mostly rhetorical, because he hoped for Sasuke to quietly agree with him, settle down and stop acting up this instant. No matter how their guest might have been or was going to behave today, Itachi expected more of his rude sibling. And Sasuke himself should really know better than to stir the conversation towards private relationships.

A heavy sigh fell of Itachi's lips. "My apologies, Naruto. Do you have any questions of your own before we give you a small tour?"

That...was an unexpected question. Naruto blinked in surprise and just stared at Sasuke for moment perplexed. Did it even matter really? It's not like it wasn't even any of his business to begin with. Blue eyes narrowed at the bastard sipping his tea, he hoped it burned him, and he was about to answer with a snide comment when Itachi butted in. Out of the two brothers, Itachi was the favourite one in Naruto's book. Immediately Naruto simmered down and offered a carefree smile, even if the question randomly asked did still irritate him. "Nah it's okay. If it puts your brother at ease, then no, I don't have a girlfriend." Though, now that he let that bit of personal information out of the bag he wondered if he should even mention that he was bi.

Mentally Naruto shook his head, deciding that he wouldn't relinquish that bit about himself. If they knew, then they might not feel comfortable in his presence, then he'd lose this opportunity for sure. Quickly he tried to think of anything to ask Itachi. He already knew most of the details from their ad, like how much rent was due each month, what kind of room he'd be getting, etc. After a moment he shook his head. "Not that I can think of right this second." Then a sly little grin curled on his lips at the thought of a little payback. "Well actually what about you Sasuke. You got a girlfriend?" If he did, Naruto would love to meet whatever soul put up with this pompous asshole.

Of course Sasuke should've known this moment would bite him in the ass at the end, though like Itachi said, he didn't have to answer the question. The look he had gotten still left him a little uneasy. Couldn't he cross some lines anymore? Always needing to be polite, because you might hurt someone. Where had that gotten them so far? Sasuke rather cursed them all out and be done with it. Placing his tea back on the table, Sasuke propped his legs up onto the couch, forming a shield around him. Even if he could give a cocky answer and say no to that question, because of course he didn't have a girlfriend. He had Itachi. But his love life was not an easy subject for him to talk about. The urge to replace the magazines on the table struck him again, but he stayed seated this time, pinching himself in the side to avoid moving completely. A little trick Itachi had taught him for situations like these.

"No girlfriend, no," he muttered, and then to avoid ever being set up by the guy, added "I don't like girls." Sasuke made the mistake that this still gave off another hint. That he was gay, but Sasuke really only considered himself attracted to Itachi.

Both of Naruto's eyebrows shot up at that. He didn't like girls at all? Was he asexual or something? Or possibly gay. For a moment Naruto imagined it, but then mentally shook his head. No, Sasuke was probably asexual. He probably hated everyone aside from his brother, but that's just because Itachi had the excuse of being family.

"And we can do a tour now, so you know where everything is," Sasuke added to avoid talking more about this. It was better if their love lives didn't become the main subject now.

"Let's see then," Itachi called softly and ruffled Sasuke's hair whilst standing up from the sofa. He let his fingers linger just a little longer than a sibling would, making the connection more intimate when his hand slid softly through the silk locks before he pulled it away. His adorable little brother didn't even realize it, but he was already accepting their new roommate. Naruto was the first one who got the offer for a tour from both Itachi and Sasuke.

As Itachi stood up he made sure Naruto's curious blue gaze turned towards any direction Itachi would point to. "There is our work place, I spend most of my day there, sitting behind my laptop. Next to it is the kitchen door, it's opened so you can go have a look. Then there is my and Sasuke's room. We would prefer if you'd stay out of our private place though. The room next would be yours," Itachi elaborated, turning around and keeping an eye on Naruto to make sure he followed and understood everything that was being said to him. "You can have a look in that one too. And then finally bathroom. It was very thoroughly cleaned today, so if you go there, be careful, please. You can also use it if you need to." Itachi finished and dropped down his hand. Onyx eyes were settled on Naruto, silently encouraging him to go and have a look in any room he would like to, except the one.

Eagerly Naruto stood up as well for the tour and followed, paying attention to Itachi as he pointed him through the apartment, every so often nodding his head at Itachi's explanations. Though, when it was mentioned that Itachi shared a bedroom with Sasuke, his eyebrows creased in concern. "You guys didn't like...move out of the other bedroom for me, right?" He looked at the older Uchiha in guilt. "I could sleep on the couch you know, I'm happy as long as I have a place to sleep and a roof above my head."

And sure, the two of them did really need a third roommate to make ends meet every month for the rent, so they probably had to make some sacrifices too, but that didn't stop the twinge of guilt in his gut. They were here first, and by Sasuke's behaviour so far, he could tell the brothers were used to be with just themselves. Naruto never liked imposing on others, especially not when he didn't know them well at all.

As Itachi continued the tour through the house, pointing out the different rooms in the house, except for theirs, Sasuke busied himself with... straightening the magazines. The comment about dirtying the bathroom got to him badly, the vision of finding pee stains on the seat forced into his brain. Sasuke had bleached the whole place perfectly and had scrubbed the floor till you could literally eat from it. Bleach really was something he loved. The smell of it and how it burned away all the disgusting stuff. It was a miracle worker. The question about if one of them had to move out of a bedroom made Sasuke still in his movements though, glancing up awkwardly. It would seem that way to an outsider that one of them got kicked out of a room, but of course that was not the case. Itachi and Sasuke had been sleeping in the same room ever since they moved in, and Sasuke was going to keep it that way. "The couch is not to be slept on," was the only thing Sasuke said, because imagining Naruto sleeping on the couch, drooling all over the side cushions was just horrifying. Those stains never came out of the fabric anymore, and then they would have to buy new ones. Sasuke didn't care what happened inside that room, as long as it wasn't on anything Sasuke owned or used too. Itachi could fix the rest, because Sasuke didn't want to imply that the guy was actually going to move in.

Itachi chuckled softly. "It's quite alright, Naruto. We don't want anyone to sleep on the couch. Me and Sasuke have shared a room since we were little, so I assume it won't be a problem even now," he explained softly and glanced shortly at his brother. "Besides, we really are in need of a roommate, out financial situation is..." Itachi made a brief pause, choosing the proper word, "unstable," he admitted with a heavy sigh. And it was true, partly. Itachi would never voice how bad it really was, that would only bring more trouble to Sasuke's already troubled mind. But the fact was, that the last time Itachi published his article for the Akatsuki magazine, it didn't receive as much attention as the ones before and since his boss was chronically obsessed with success, the only reasonable thing was to threaten Itachi with cutting his already miserable salary. And so they were here, with their new roommate.

Naruto barely spared Sasuke an annoyed glance at his quick comment before his attention was redirected back at Itachi, and cracked a nervous smile. "I see...Sounds like you two are really close. I don't have any siblings so that must be nice..." Naruto trailed off. Before his mind wandered into other things he never had, Naruto's strained smile turned into a grin.

"Well, Sasuke. Would you like to talk about this in the kitchen or shall I simply decide right here?" Itachi asked, intensely observing how his adorable sibling fixed the order of magazines on the table, again.

"Uh, you guys can just discuss stuff in the kitchen while I look around some more. Or I can just leave for now and wait for a call or text..." Now Naruto was starting to feel jittery and nervous at the verdict. If they didn't want him, Naruto kind of didn't want the rejection face to face. He'd rather deal with it through call or text message, so they wouldn't see how devastated he'd most definitely would be, because he was banking a lot of hope onto this chance. If it didn't work out...well he didn't know where he'd be tomorrow, that much was for sure.

Sasuke shot his brother an annoyed look and then quickly got off the couch, stomping his way towards the kitchen. Like hell would Sasuke let Itachi decide right here and now. He would be foolish enough to accept this guy without actually thinking it through. Though the comment about their financial status did sting a little. Sasuke was aware he was part of the problem here, having no time to work because of his studies. It was something he didn't really want to give up, but would if it meant Itachi and he would have a more stable life together, but Itachi wouldn't let him. It complicated things. "Give us a few minutes. There is no need to keep you waiting for an answer," Sasuke stated as he pushed the kitchen door open and disappeared through it, waiting on Itachi to join him.

There was a moment when a subtle reassuring smile was sent towards Naruto, hoping to put his mind at ease and secretly tell him that he was already a part of the household. The fear and anxiety in Naruto's voice was something which never went unnoticed by Itachi. "No need to worry. You can look around if you wish and we'll be back in a moment," he said softly. Only then Itachi followed suit after his younger brother and made sure the door behind him was closed properly, the needed privacy being achieved for now. It was a clear signal and both men could be sure that they would not be disturbed during the brief discussion.

Itachi proceeded to move towards his brother with a similar gentle smile he granted Naruto a few seconds ago. Once the older sibling stood close enough, two palms cupped each side of Sasuke's face. "I'm sorry, Sasuke," Itachi whispered and pressed a soft kiss to his brother's forehead. He parted after a short while and looked into those onyx depths almost identical to his own. The gentle smile changed into a sad, apologetic one. "I know it's hard for you and I know I shouldn't pressure you into this. But I really do need your support in this matter. To have a roommate is necessary for us now, if even for a month or two, though I hope you would eventually learn how to stand the boy. He may even become a friend." Itachi let his thumbs draw tiny circles into the smooth pale cheeks, but he let his palms fall down on Sasuke's shoulders before continuing. "I won't force you into this. All I can do is ask if you could at least try." Itachi sighed heavily, the burned growing heavy with every other second. He knew that what he was about to say now was probably unfair, but it simply had to be done. "Please, Sasuke. Could you do this for me?"

Stepping away from Itachi's hold, Sasuke gave himself some space to breath. He was very aware of what this all meant and how they clearly needed to do this, and now Itachi was playing on his guilt as well. It was hard for Sasuke to give into something like this. Have someone he didn't know invade his private space, the place where he felt most comfortable, was not something Sasuke could just do. His hands itched to fill a bucket with hot water and soap, so he could scrub the floor until it shined. Wash away all the people that had visited them today. Maybe that was why he was giving this last one such a hard time too. There had been too many people already. This last one had just been too much, but they had already rejected the rest of the people. One had even dared to take a peek inside their room, and that was simply not allowed.

Feeling the discomfort rise in his body, Sasuke quickly moved back to Itachi, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him down so their lips would meet. God, he really needed that, the reassurance that Itachi would be here with him through it all. Leaning back slightly as he broke the kiss, Sasuke kept his eyes closed as he answered. "I know we need a roommate, and if you consider this one the least bothersome, then I'll go along with it. I won't stretch it and think he and I will become friends, but I will try to tolerate him for as long as needed." A smile formed on his lips then, needing to lighten the mood in some way. Make this moment a little more private. "And you will have to put up with all my bitching about him. No excuses."

…

As the two brothers went into the kitchen, Naruto kept himself occupied by looking around the place on his own. It really was a nice place, clean and tidy, most likely thanks to the younger Uchiha. Sasuke would probably try to kick him out if he so much as left a sock in the middle of the floor. Naruto snorted at that, and thought, with the impression he gathered from them both, Itachi might likely defend him on the matter. Even if Sasuke did want him gone, if he was on the lease then he couldn't immediately kick him out, not legally. So, if they let him stay, he would be alright. Hopefully. And if they chose him to move in.

Naruto sighed as he wandered around, he passed his bedroom and was just passing another room with the door cracked open. Not really thinking about it he peeked inside and saw a singular bed and a desk. Like lightening, he knew immediately this was the brother's room and snapped his eyes away and walked back where he was, before the urge to look further inside gripped his curiosity. There was only one bed, so they slept together? Why not get another bed or something...Naruto gnawed at his bottom lip, worrying it and feeling guilt wiggle its way back in. To take his mind off it Naruto returned to his chair and sat down, and made himself some tea, even though he wasn't going to drink it. He just needed to bus himself while he waited for the two Uchiha's to return and tell him their decision. Absentmindedly he took a sip and scrunched up his nose in disgust.

…

Itachi wrapped his hand around Sasuke's waist, flushing their bodies together before he put one gentle peck on Sasuke's lips. But he didn't stay there, he moved the tender touches to the side, kissing the corner of Sasuke's mouth softly, then the cheek. He went up, littering his brother's face with soft attention until he pressed his lips back to Sasuke's forehead. It was better than a simple 'thank you', he hoped. "Thank you," but he said it anyway.

A last soft squeeze and sniff of Sasuke's hair and Itachi released the boy from the warm hold, stepping back a little. A reassuring smile was sent Sasuke's way as another form of comfort. "I promise I'll try to make it all work as best as I can. And if you behave you'll get your reward as well," Itachi teased, a naughty smirk flashed on his lips. He would probably do it anyway, but to use it as motivation couldn't be that useless. Maybe this way Naruto would be treated just a little better from time to time, if Sasuke would expect to gain something from it as well. Yes, it was a bribe. Itachi was going to burn in hell.

"I assume it's time for Naruto to know the good news as well, don't you think?" Itachi shot provocatively over his shoulder as he moved out of the kitchen. The door was pushed open and a smile much brighter than before shined on Itachi's lips. This should be good news. "Well, Naruto... we've decided. I would tell you, but Sasuke was really set on telling you himself. Right, Sasuke?" Itachi called out, assuming Sasuke was gullible enough to follow him to the living room.

Still basking in the attention Itachi had just given him, Sasuke was standing in the kitchen with this gleeful smile on his lips. Not for one bit did Sasuke actually believe that Itachi would use sex as a reward, because Itachi could not stay away from him either. And if Itachi would even dare to withhold sex, then Sasuke had many ways to seduce his brother. But the promised sex was still something he looked forward too, though if Naruto moved in, they would need to be more quite. That was a shame, or could be turned into something fun. Sasuke's mind really was somewhere else until his brother called for him, talking about some kind of news. When the question settled in, Sasuke turned a shade paler. Was Itachi serious? Asshole! Sasuke should be the one withholding sex now, just to throw in some punishment. Not that he could though... Itachi also had many ways of seduction. Damn him.

Trailing out of the kitchen after Itachi, Sasuke shot his brother a glare first, an empty threat in there somewhere, and then he slowly turned towards the unknowing blond. How was he even going to bring this news? Sasuke couldn't fake excitement. But Naruto should be happy, with him coming out of that crappy situation and all. Even if Sasuke wanted to pretend he didn't care, he had remembered it all, and somewhere assumed that Naruto had no home at all right now. He pitied the guy, unfortunately.

The bitter taste of tea was forgotten as Itachi came out. At first Naruto's heart beat sped up a little bit, thinking the older Uchiha had good news for him, until he said Sasuke was to deliver the news. 'Oh no...If it's Sasuke telling me the news, then he's gonna gladly kick my ass to the doorstep...' With bated breath Naruto stared at Sasuke almost miserably, awaiting the verdict with a sinking heart.

"We've decided that you'll be our new roommate," Sasuke finally said, trying to keep his voice levelled. He instantly crossed his arms together, trying to keep the discomfort from showing. The floor really needed a good scrub.

What Naruto heard though, made his heart stutter for a second in disbelief. "W-Wah-seriously?"

The relief and sheer happiness that flooded through him was nearly unbearable, and before Naruto could even think to control himself, he jumped up, hands raised triumphantly, "YESSSS!" The dull sound of a cup thudding on the floor echoed in his ears and immediately, it felt like time froze still, even the smile on his face was plastered in shock as he stared at the tea he spilt on the floor. He didn't dare look at Sasuke. "...Oops."

It was as if everything had happened in slow-motion. The way Naruto had jumped up, and then had carelessly dropped the cup to the floor. Sasuke knew that cup all too well. Given by their mother when Itachi had moved out as some kind of weird present. Sasuke hated that cup, but it was a nice looking one, and it matched with the others. But now there was no longer a set of four. Now there were three. Uneven things just weren't right. And Naruto caused this. Naruto had broken the cup. There were only three now. With his eyes glued to the floor Sasuke watched the tea slowly trickle further away from the spot where it had dropped, staining the wooden floor Sasuke kept so clean. Why was there tea on the floor?!

Itachi froze for a moment as well, but with a soft twitch his body began to move even before Sasuke managed to take the short rigid breath intake. He walked towards Naruto hastily. "Don't worry about that," Itachi whispered, leaning just a little closer so the information would be shared only between those two, but he grabbed Naruto by the elbow nevertheless, beginning to steer him towards the main door. Itachi kept his tone perfectly levelled as he elaborated further. "He would scrub the whole floor anyway. Now he at least has a reason. I'm still sorry though, you need to leave now."

Stopping by the place Naruto left his shoes, Itachi bent down and grabbed them, then released Naruto's hand and immediately reached for a bunch of keys tied by a metal loop. He opened and pushed Naruto out in the hall, placing the shoes in front of the stunned blond. "I'm really sorry again. Take this as a small compensation. I wouldn't normally do this, but I have the feeling like you need to move in really fast, so you would probably be back tomorrow anyway," Itachi spoke while his fingers busied themselves with the keys. "Here, this one is from the apartment and this one is from the building door." He handed Naruto two keys. "I believe you won't take an advantage of my trust." The last gentle smile decorated Itachi's lips as he waited for Naruto's response.

Thank the high heavens for Itachi's quick reactions, or else Naruto's body would have remained in a stunned shock for his own clumsy stupidity. Awkwardly, he let Itachi lead him to the door, still feeling really bad about the tea and breaking the cup, while trying to listen to the older Uchiha's hurried whispers. As if at any moment, Sasuke was about to explode and Itachi was trying to get him out before that catastrophe happened. Quickly he nodded, and took the keys and smiled a little shyly at Itachi. "Of course not, and really thanks a lot. If not for you guys, I'd be living in my car for who knows how long." Once his shoes were on, Naruto's small smile turned into a grin, "I'll definitely be back tomorrow. Hopefully by then this will boil over," Naruto laughed nervously, then waved goodbye to Itachi, and left the building.

* * *

So this was the first chapter and as you can tell, the next chapter will be about Naruto moving in! Curious about the next chapter?

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